Winter Wellness
It’s that time of year: when you walk outside and feel every part of your skin turn into dust; when making any sort of facial expression feels like stretching plastic wrap to the point of breaking. It’s cold, gloomy, and generally not a fun time—and that’s where skincare comes in.
As winter rears its ugly head, I’m beefing up my skincare wardrobe to make sure my skin is as bundled up as I will be. Just like you layer clothes for warmth, it’s often better to layer skin products rather than going out and buying new things that don’t necessarily work. Moreover, we often misunderstand the difference between moisturization and hydration when it comes to skincare; they’re often marketed the same, so we don’t always know what we need when it comes to dry skin.
If your skin feels like it’s being pulled and looking dull, you probably need hydration (through essences or serums)—essentially, your skin needs water-based products. If you try to use oily moisturizers to combat dehydrated skin, your skin won’t react as effectively as it will if you were to use hydrators. On the other hand, if your skin is flaky with a lot of dry patches, your skin is lacking moisture. Moisturizers seal the hydration into your skin and protect it from outside dryness, like wind or cold.
One of the best (and most affordable) hydrators is hyaluronic acid, which can hold 1000 times its weight in water. High-end brands like to flaunt it as a rare, coveted ingredient, but it’s actually present in a wide range of products. One of the most well-known hydrating essences is the Hada Labo Hyaluronic Acid Lotion, a Japanese cult product that has been popular for years. Hyaluronic acid is also the main ingredient in the $98 SkinCeuticals serum (compared to the $13 Hada Labo). When brands tout “skin-plumpness” and “filling in fine lines”, chances are they’re talking about hyaluronic acid.
Moisturizers are best when layered over hydrators (where a hydrator is your basic shirt and a moisturizer is your coat). Flaky and dry skin benefits from moisturizers like oils or creams. The world of oils is expansive—the word “oil” can be off putting, but people with oily skin often discover that they become less oily after balancing their skin with hydration or moisturization. Oils that work for oily skin include rosehip oil (like the $9.80 The Ordinary oil pictured below) or jojoba oil, while dry skin would benefit from grapeseed oil or hemp seed oil. If you’re still hesitant about oils, try ceramides like CeraVe’s Moisturizing Lotion (which happens to have both hyaluronic acid and ceramides at a very manageable price) or Dr Jart’s Ceramidin Liquid (on the pricier end, but has a lot of product while packing a punch). Ceramides are another “buzzword” when it comes to skincare, but deservedly so. They’re effective in repairing the skin’s natural moisture barrier while also helping the skin retain hydration; essentially they act similarly to oils (they’re a waxy lipid).
Hydrators and moisturizers pack a big punch when it comes to winter skincare, and there are many ways to stay within budget while treating yourself. What it really comes down to are the ingredients, not the brand. Sometimes we treat skincare with the idea that the more expensive, the better. While there are certainly ways that higher end brands may have more comprehensive products that do many things, it doesn’t necessarily mean that every high end brand does so. If your skin is looking dull and feeling tight, or if it’s flaky and dry, at least you know where to start shopping—and it doesn’t have to break the bank.